Tube



April 29 1924.

1,492,075 w. H. FULTON ET AL TUBE Original Filed March 8, 1917 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 avwzntozs W. H. FULTON ET AL TUBE Aprifi 29 1924. 1,492,075

Original Filed March 8, 1917 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 wuzmlo'as /iw; A4

April 29, 1924. 1,492,075

- W. H. FULTON ET. AL

TUBE

Original Filed March a, 1917 4 Sheets-Sheet s J4 g jm April 29, 1924.

W. H. FULTON ET AL.

TUBE

4 Sheets-sheaf 4 Original Filed March 8, 1917 MM Jz 44M Mam amoentozj' Mom W13 Patented Apr. 29, 1224.

WILLIAM H. FULTON, OF IRVINGTON, LOUIS H. BRINKMAN, 0F GLEN RIDGE, AND HER- MAN SHELLMER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO TITEFLEX METAL HOSE CORI'ORA'IION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TUBE.

Original application filed March 8, 1917, Serial No. 153,262. Divided and this application filed November 21, 1919.

To all whom it may cmwem:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. FULTON and LoUIs H. BRINKMAN, citizens of the United States of America, and HERMAN SHELLMER, a subject of the Kingof England, residing at Irvington, Glen Ridge, and Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, respectively, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tubes, of which the following is a specification;

This lnvention relates to strip formed tubes and particularly flexible tubes having fixed joints between adjacent convolutions and a groove extendin longitudinally of the strip although not limited thereto.

This application is adivision of our prior application Serial Number 153,262 filed .March 8th, 1917.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved tube wherein the metal of the joint is spun into close and solid relationshi (Ether and ancillary objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine whereby the tube may be made and a portion of the exterior of a tube;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine looking from the right-hand of Fig. 1 and showing a lubricating fluid circulating system which has been omitted from Fig. 1 for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view partly in section on an enlarged scale of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 1, the tube being shown in exterio1 View and also in longitudinal section;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 3 partially in section but with the tube removed;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 4 looking from the right of that figure.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are side views of die sections;

Fig. 9 is a face view of two of the die sections looking at the strip entrance face on the line 99 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line 1010 of Fig. 6;

Serial No. 339,662-

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the preliminary former;

' Fig. 13 is an end elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 12 at the exit end;

Fig. 14 is an end elevation of the former at the entrance end;

Fig.15 is a top plan view of the bottom portion .of the preliminary former as shown in Figs. 12 to 14 inclusive;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation tion of a bearing;

Fig. 17 is a view partly in section of the device of Fig. 16, Fig. 17 being in a plane 90 removed from Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is an elevation of the internal rollers supporting the tube from the interior during the spinning operation;

Fig. 19 is an end elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 18; and

Fig. 2 0 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the tube strip as it appears in the first few turns of its formation and illustrating the progress of formation of the strip, as received from the preliminary former, into the tube which is subsequently passed under the spinning rolls.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus comprises a suitable frame A on which is rotatably mounted a hollow spindle B driven by any suitable means as for instance a belt pulley C. Secured to the spindle B is a hollow arbor or mandrel D about which the tube strip is Wound, and surrounding the arbor is a die E, for forming the strip into the tube, receiving the strip from a preliminary former F. Also mechanism G is provided for spinning and compacting the seam, the inner support being carried at the end of a rod H extending through the man drel or arbor. A circulating system I for lubricating liquid may be supplied.

\Vith this general survey, the drawings partly in sec- It is em-.

' may now be referred. to more in detail. The

ous other well known applications. To remove the mandrel D, t e nut2, which is screw threaded on the arbor, may, by turning, be forced against the end of'the spindle and so forcibly withdraw the end of the mandrel from its socket.

Fixed upon the arbor is a spur gear 3 for driving the spinning rollers as will be heregroove 20 extends a projection 28 which has structure a inafter referred to. An abutment nut 4 for limiting the movement of the die is in screw threaded en agement with the arbor so that it may be a justed and it may be secured in any adjusted position by a'set screw 5'. The arbor has a smooth unthreaded surface 5 which is cylindrical and of substantially uniform diameter while the surface 6 also smooth, is tapered, the diameter growing larger toward the right (see Fig. 4). A die for forming the tube from the stri is carried on the support 7 which may slide upon the frame longitudinally of the arbor but is prevented from turning about the arbor axis by means of a projection 8 having an easy running fit within the slot 9 in the supportin frame. By making the projection 8 of suitable len th, as shown, turning of the die Trout a vertical axis, if there should be any such tendency is prevented. The support 7 carries a frame 11 for the die which at one side is adapted to abut against the nut 4, ball bearings 11 serving to permit relative turning of the arbor and die with a reducedamount of friction. On the other side of the die frame, forming channels for'the tube are constructed a number of segmental sections 12, 13 and 14, which are secured together and to the die frame by screws 15.

The preliminar former (see particularly Figs. 12 to 15, inc usive) comprises an upper member 16 and a lower member 17. The lower member 17 has at the end for receiving the fiat ribbon, a broad shallow channel '18 with a tap ering channel 19 at oneside.

The channel 18 gradually develops into an intermediate channel 20 which becomes deeper as the exit end is approached and has upon one side the warped wall 21 and upon the other side a shoulder 22. Also the channel l9 gradually broadens and there is a shoulder or rib 23 between the channels 19 and 20. The member 16 proceeding from the receiving end, has the rib or projection 24 which extends within the channel 19 causing a downward bending of the edge of the ribbon at 25. The rib 24 gradually broadens out, keeping in contact with the ledge 26 throughout its length and following along the rib 23 with clearance substantially equal to thethickness of the ribbon. The groove27 in the upper portion of the former receives the rib 23 and within the a clearance about it substantially equal to a thickness of I the ribbon. A right angled shoulder 29 has between it and the shoulder 22 a clearance substantially equal to a thickness of the ribbon and abuts against the shoulder 30 of the section 17. It will thus be seen that the sections are held in properly adjusted lateralposition by engagement of shoulders on the two sections; and that the fiat ribbon entered Within the end of the former as shown in Fig. 14 will gradually have its section changed so that it has a groove longitudinally of thestrip, one side bentat a right angle and the otherhavin a double bend so as to form a channel. T is conformation is clearly shown in Fig. 20 wherein the groove is shown at 31. The ribbon of ,this section is then fed into the die about the arbor.

The preliminary former has its two halves secured together by screws as 32 and 33, and the upper and lower sections may be forced more or less tightly together so as to 'cause more or less of a frictional gripping on the strip by adjusting the screws. The former is pivotally supported at 105 upon a supporting member 106 secured to the forming die. The support- 106 carries the curved arm 107 carrying a screw 108 b which the former may be adjusted about t e pivot 105 and secured in adjusted position. 7

When the die sections 12, 13 and 14 are secured in place there is formed a structure having helically arranged ribs or thread segments 34, 35, 36, 37, etc., having bending channels-38 and 39 at the bases of the threads. The bending channel 38 is of a form at the beginning as shown in Fig. 9 gradually merging into a double right angledsection as shown in Fig. 11. The die is cut away at 41 to permit the entrance of the strip into the die and at the exit of the bendin channel 38 into this recess it is of the dou le right angled section as referred to. ,Simult-aneously with the entry of the strip portion 33 into the bending channel 38 of the die the other edge of the strip, having the channeled portion 32, enters into the channel 39 and receives within it the radiallyextending flange 33 of the adjacent edge of the preceding convolution. As the two edges thus proceed around the die they are bent over the interfolded position as shown at 34 and in this condition emerge from the die channel into the recess 41. T-he interfolded portions then enter into the helical channel between the threads ,35 and 36 and progress helically During the pas- 7) a circular flange or projection 42 radially outside of which is a groove 43 adapted to receive the right angled ortion 33 from the preliminary former at 1ts intake end 44.

As the groove 43 progresses about the die the face 47 at the exit end 48.

In Fig. 8 the face of section 13 looked at from the left of Fi 3 is shown to have atits intake end the channel having the plane face 49 between which and the projection '42 is a clearance for one thickness of ribbon, 50 being the sloping bottom of the channel. This sloping bottom gradually becomes right angled at 51 and the circumferential recess 52 is circumferentially tapering, being small at its beginning and having its largest size 53 at the exit end of the section. cess is for receiving the strip edge turned up by the sloping surface 45. It w ll appear that when the two section faces as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 are placed together the channel 38 will be formed between them which at the beginning is as shown in Fig. 9 and at the end as shown in Fig. 11. Looking at the face of the section 13 from the right of Fig. 3, (see Fig. 6) the channel having a bottom 54 is of a height at its intake end as shown at 55. The side 56 of the groove, however, is warped, the groove gradually contracting in radial width until it merges with a perpendicular wall at 57 the groove being substantially rectangular from this point to the exit at 58.

The opposite side of the channel. from the bottom 54 is formed by the adjacent edge of the section 14. The result of this struc ture is to cam the convolution edges 32 and 33 over into the position as shown at 34 (see Fig. 20). The side of the section 14 is cut away at 58' to accommodate the in terfolded seam as thus bent down. The remaining channels are in the section 14 and are of uniform cross section, the de sired interfolding having taken place. The

' additional threads are what have been This reentering strip and the fact that it is straight would cause it to fail to conform to the shape of the channel so that the tube would 'not be perfect.

After leavingthe die, the tube encounters the spinning rolls 59 and 60' which bear upon the exterior of the seam and are grooved toconform to the desired exterior of the tube. The seam beneath the spinning rolls is supported upon the inside of the rolls 61 and 62 rotatably mounted in a rod 63 which extends through the interior of the mandrel and spindle and is secured in a bracket 64 fixed to the end of the frame. Turning of the rod 63 may be prevented by making its end. 65 square and entering it within a square hole within the bracket. It may be also secured by a set screw 66. As shown most clearly in Figs. 18 and 19 the rolls 61 and 62 may bemounted in a head 67 fixed to the end of the rod 63. This head is provided with radial slots 68 and 69 for receiving the rolls which are rotatably mounted on pins 70 and 71 having their ends inserted in sockets 72 and 73 in the head 67, the other ends being inserted in sockets 74 and 75 in the cap plate 76 secured to the head 67 by a screw 77. Between the slots 68 and 69 and the end of the head 67 are circumferentially opening slots for receiving the pins 70 and 71. When therefore the plate 76 is removed, the outer ends of the pins may be lifted and the pins withdrawn from the sockets 72 and 73 to remove the rolls, while they can be inserted by a reverse operation.

The rolls 59 and 60 are fixed upon shafts 78 and 79 to which also are fixed the gears 80 and 81 meshing with the gear 2. This gearing is made of such ratio that the eripheral speed of the rolls 59 and 60'is aster than the speed of the seam with which they engage. About 20% faster has given good results. It will also be observed that the peripheries of the rolls adjacent the seams move in the same direction as the portions of the seam with which they en age. The result of this is that the metal 0 the seam is spun and forced into most intimate and compact relation. The shafts 78 and 79 are rotatably mounted in bearings 82 and 83 supported from the die frame and also in bearings 84 and 85 mounted in the ends of arms 86 and 87 pivoted to the die frame at 88 and 89. In the lower end of the arm 87 is screw threaded an adjustable screw 90 which may be locked in position by. jam nuts 91 and at its inner end bears upon a plunger 92 slidable in a casing 93 fixed to the lower end of the arm 86. Bearing against thehead 94 of the plunger is a spring 95 secured by an adjustable cap 96 which is screw threaded into the case and places a greater or less tension upon the spring according to whether it is screwed into the casing more or less. A strengtheninglbear 97 may extend between the extremities of the pivot pins 88 and 89. -It

will be seenthat this arrangement forces the,

rolls 59 and 60 yieldingly against the seam with avpressure which may be determined by the adjustment of the screw or the cap 96 or both. The bearings 82, 83, '84 and 85 are so constructed as to permit the slight turning necessary to adjustment of the rolls 59 and 60, the clearance which usually exists between the spur gears being sufficient cylindrical socket 101 in the su port 102.

The plug is prevented from with rawl from the socket by means of a pin 103 which-extends through'the walls of the socket and through the slot 104 out in the side, of the plug. It will be noted that the pin fits oosely in the slot so that a limited turning movement of the plug in the socket is permitted. I

A rotary pump 109 may be driven by a belt 110 from a pulley 111 which, in turn, is driven by a belt-112 from the pulley 113 on the spindle B. This pump may force lubricating fluid through the pipe 114 into the recess 41 of the forming nut onto the work so as to lubricate the same. The dripings will fall into the pan 115 on the frame rom which they maybe drawn through the pipe 116 into the pum 109. Thus a continuous circulation 1s e ected.

In the operation of the apparatus to form a tube, the end of a flat metal ribbon as shown at 117 of: the desired width and thick ness' is passed through the preliminary former F, emerging therefrom with a section conforming to the section of the channel at its exit as shown in Fig. 13, the strip section beingas shown in Fi 9. The die is pushed to the right (see Flg. 4) and the end of the strip is inserted in the slot 118. The strip may also be shaved off at its sidesto narrow it so that it will be easily threaded through the die. -The mandrel is then turned and thestrip is inserted in the die with its edges inserted in the channels 38 and 39 of the die and with its central portion about the thread-34, 118 indicating the strip as it passes from the former to the die. The turning of the mandrel then WlIldS the strip about it, drawing it in through the former and the die channels.

The strip thus secured to the mandrel, acts. as a thread with which the die cooperates after the manner of a nut. The latter is thus forced to the left (see Figs. 3 and 4) to and fro bendin side of the tube so as to produce the friction necessary to cause the strip turns to be bound tightly to the mandrel so that there will be a torsional frictional grip on the strip. The diameter of the cylindrical portion 5 of the mandrel, is such as to support the strip in place in the die, but without pressing thereagainst so as to produce undue frictional losses. The strip in passing about the mandrel and through the die, is thus formed into a helix the contiguous edges of which are interfolded in a manner as hereinbefore described, the die acting upon thislielical structure in a manner similar to that of a nut upon a screw and, being itself unable to move on account of its abutment against the nut 4, the tube is continually forced off the end of the mandrel as long as the machinev continues in operation. After passing off the end of the mandrel the tube passes over the rollers 61 and 62 which bear against the inside of the seam, sup-porting t e same against the action of the rollers 59 and 60. It will be observed that the rollers 59, 60, 61

and 62 are set at such angles and have such rolls just referred to passes the completedg-rf corrugated, flexible tube as shown in exterior at 119.

It will be observed that from the time the fiat strip enters the former until it is finally formed into the tube there 'is no reverse bending but, on the contrary, the bending is continuous in one direction. In other words, a bend in the metal having been started it remains the same or else is increased in the same direction. The bending force .is never reversed so as to straighten out a bend once made or cause a bend in the reverse direction. This avoidance of of the metal prevents fatigue thereof an the structure produced is, stronger and more reliable.

- By the term spinning as used herein is -meant an operation wherein the metal spun is caused to flow orstretch by rubbing its eeann in what is considered its best application it may have other embodiments Without departing from its spirit and is not therefor limited to the structures shown in the drawings.

What we claim is:

1. A tube formed of a helioally disposed strip having the edges of adjacent convolutions seamed together, the metal of the seam being spun.

2. A tube formed of a helically disposed strip having the edges of adjacent convolntions interfolded together, the metal of the interfolded parts being spun.

3. A flexible tube formed of a helieally disposed strip having a longitudinal fold or groove, having the edges of adjaoent convolutions seamed together, the metal of the seam being spun.

4. A flexible tube formed of a helically disposed strip having a longitudinal fold or groove, having the edges of adjaoent convolutions interfolded together the metal of the interfolded parts being spun.

5. A flexible tube comprising a helical strip having the edges of adjacent convolutions inter-folded, said strip having a longitudinal fold or groove, the said interfolded edges being spun and at the outermost portion of the Wall of the tube.

In testimony whereof I we, FU TON and SHELLMER, have signed this specification this 20th day of October, 1919, and BRINK- MAN the 20th day of November, 1919.

WILLIAM H. FULTON. HERMAN SHELLMER. LOUIS I-I. BRINKMAN. 

